Apparatus for forming transversely reinforced wood planks



1965 R. M. HOVERMALE APPARATUS FOR FORMING TRANSVERSELY REINFORCED WOOD PLANKS Filed March 17, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet l R057 M. .iOl EQMALE,

INVENTOR.

Arron/v 1965 R, M. HOVERMALE APPARATUS FOR FORMING TRANSVERSELY REINFORCED WOOD PLANKS Filed March 17, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 HHI l.

.Roy A1. .ZTZVERMJAEJ,

INVENTOEE.

WAMC. M

Dec. 14, 1965 R. M. HOVERMALE APPARATUS FOR FORMING TRANSVERSELY REINFORCED WOOD PLANKS Filed March 17, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 4%,, .44. HZVERMALE,

INVENTOR.

Arron/5y United States Patent 3 223,131 APPARATUS FOR F oRMlNG TRANSVERSELY REINFORCED WOOD PLANKS Roy M. Hovermale, 5913 Los Feliz Drive, Buena Park, Calif. Filed Mar. 17, 1961, Ser. No. 96,423 4 Claims. (Cl. 144-3) The present invention relates generally to the field of woodworking, and more particularly to transforming stock wood planks of excess length of transversely reinforced planks for use in scaffolding.

In scaffolding, wooden planks are supported from their end portions by various means to form a platform on which to support workmen at desired elevations as they perform such tasks as painting, or the like. The desirability of having sound planks for use in scaffolding will be obvious. Planks used in scaffolding are subjected to extremely hard use and rough handling, for as the scaffolding is dismantled, the heavy planks are thrown to the ground from elevated positions. The impact and jar sustained by the planks as they strike the ground are frequently so directed that the planks tend to split longitudinally, and are weakened as a result thereof.

Various means have been proposed and used in the past to a limited extent to transversely reinforce wood planks to prevent the longitudinal splitting thereof. Such means have included the use of bolts, and other mechanical elements that extend transversely through the planks. However, the disadvantage of transverse reinforcing means for planks available heretofore has been that a portion of the mechanical reinforcing element projects from the plank in which it is disposed, thus creating a definite hazard to the men working with the same. Also, the transverse reinforcement of planks by such means has required an inordinately high amount of hand labor, whereby these reinforced planks have not been a profitable item to manufacture and sell at a price acceptable to the construction industry.

A major object of the present invention is to provide apparatus for forming a transversely reinforced wood plank having no projecting mechanical elements, even after the plank has dimensionally contracted in size due to exposure to the sun and other weathering action.

Another object of the invention is to supply apparatus adapted for use in forming said planks to permit rapid production of transversely reinforced wood planks of predetermined length at a sufiiciently low cost to permit a profitable sale thereof to the construction industry.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus whereby stock wood planks of excess length are sequentially removed from a pile thereof at one location and presented to said apparatus to progressively move along a predetermined path where consecutive operations are performed thereon to transform the stock planks into transversely reinforced planks of predetermined length, which operations require a minimum expenditure of time and physical effort.

Another object of the invention is to supply transversely reinforced scaffolding planks that are of substantially uniform quality and capable of withstanding the rough handling to which they will be subjected with a minimum of deterioration and damage.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a transversely reinforced scaffolding planking which can be formed by standard, commercially available apparatus that is disposed in a new and novel arrangement.

A still further object of the invention is to provide apparatus that can be used successfully by semi-skilled personnel to produce transversely reinforced wood planks particularly adapted for scaffolding use.

3,223,131 Patented Dec. 14, 1965 ice These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred form thereof, and from thevaccompanying drawings illustrating the same in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus used in transforming stock wood planks of excess length into transversely reinforced planks of predetermined length;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the portion of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1 at which the reinforcing members are forcefully inserted in end portions of the stock plank;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the apparatus of the present invention taken on line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5a is a perspective view of a stock wood plank of excess length;

FIGURE 5b is a perspective view of the plank shown in FIGURE 5a after two transversely disposed bores have been drilled therein;

FIGURE 50 is a perspective view of the stock plank shown in FIGURE 5b after reinforcing rods have been forcefully driven into the bores formed in end portions of the plank; and

FIGURE 5d is a perspective view of the finished transversely reinforced plank after excess material has been severed from a first end portion thereof, with the corners of the plank having been beveled by severance of triangular segments therefrom;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary, combined side elevational and longitudinal cross-sectional view of a second end portion of the plank showing the transverse bore hole formed therein;

FIGURE 7 is a combined side elevational and longitudinal cross-sectional view of the second end portion of the plank showing a reinforcing member which has been forcefully disposed within the confines of the transverse bore formed therein, and also illustrating the manner by which a hammer may contact both the upper edge of the plank and upper end of the reinforcing member; and

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of one of the reinforcing members or rods used in transversely reinforcing a wood plank.

With continued reference to the drawings, and particularly to FIGURES 1 and 4 thereof for the general arrangement of the invention, it will be seen to include an elongate, horizontally disposed conveyor A that is adapted to movably support a stock wood plank B of excess length thereon. Plank B is supported on one of the longitudinal edges thereof on the rollers D forming a part of conveyor A.

An elongate guide C projects upwardly from the rear edge of conveyor A. A vertically positioned backboard E is intermediately located in guide C, as may best be seen in FIGURE 1, and extends above the conveyor A. A pile (not shown) of stock planks B is preferably located near the left-hand end of conveyor A, from which the stock planks are removed to be placed on the left-hand end of the conveyor (FIGURE 1). After being placed on one longitudinal edge thereof on rollers D, planks B are moved to the right on conveyor A, until a first end portion F of the plank is in a position where a power-driven, vertically movable drill G may be moved upwardly through the conveyor A to drill a first transversely extending bore hole H in plank B, as shown in FIGURE 5b. Thereafter, a reinforcing bar I is removed from a rack K, and by use of a vertically reciprocal hammer L is driven into the first bore hole H to occupy the position shown in FIGURE 7.

After completion of the above-described operation, the plank B is moved longitudinally along the conveyor A to a point where a second end portion M thereof is so positioned on the conveyor that the drill G may be utilized to drill a second bore N therein. The hammer L is then employed to drive another reinforcing bar I into the confines of thesecond bore N. The first end portion F and the second end portion M of plank B are each rigidly gripped between the backboard E and a transversely movable pressure plate P during the time bore holes H and N are drilled, as well as when the reinforcing bars I are driven into the first and second bores H and N respectively.

A power-driven rotary saw Q is provided that is located on the right-hand end portion of conveyor A, as shown in FIGURE 1, which is transversely movable across conveyor A. Saw Q is so located that when the end of the second end portion M of plank B is in alignment with marker R (FIGURE 4), and the saw Q caused to move across the conveyor A, excess material S is cut from plank B as shown in FIGURE 5d, with the plank then being of a predetermined length. The trimmed plank B is then slipped from the conveyor A onto a table T which is shorter than the plank B having the reinforcing bars I therein. A longitudinally extending stop U is provided along the forward edge of table T, and a second stop V is affixed to the left-hand edge of the table (FIGURE 4). Two longitudinally spaced power-driven saws W and X angularly disposed relative to one another are positioned in front of table T. When the saws are moved toward the plank B supported on table T they will cut triangular segments Y from the corners thereof, as shown in FIGURE 5d.

After segments Y have been severed from the corners on one side of plank B, the plank is turned over or reversed on table T to place the other side and left-hand edge of the plank in contact with stops U and V. The saws X and W are again moved transversely across conveyor A to sever additional segments Y from the corners of the plank. When this operation is completed the plank has beveled corners Z as illustrated in FIGURE 5d. The purpose of these beveled corners Z will be explained in detail hereinafter. Thereafter, the finished reinforced plank B of predetermined length is removed from table T and placed in a stack of finished planks (not shown) conveniently located nearby to minimize the handling of planks.

In detail it will be seen that the conveyor A is formed from two laterally spaced, longitudinally extending rails having a number of transversely disposed shafts 12 extending therebetween on which the rollers D are mounted. Rails 10 are horizontally supported at a desired elevation by a number of legs 14, a portion of which are shown at the left-hand end of conveyor A in FIGURE 1. Two elongate rigid supporting members 18 extend upwardly from the floor or ground surface 20 (FIGURE 2). Members 18 are spaced apart from one another and rigidly connected as by welding or other conventional fastening means to the rear surface of backboard E. The upper ends of members 18 are joined by a cross piece 22.

Two parallel, laterally spaced, vertical guide rods 24 are positioned between supporting members 18. Guide rods 24 extend below and above backboard E. The central portions of guide rods 24 are rigidly connected to the rear surface of backboard E by welding or the like. Those portions of rods 24 above the backboard E slidably support a first carriage 26, and the portions of the guide rods below the backboard, a second carriage 28. The hammer L is preferably a hard, cylindrical body that is rigidly affixed to the forward surface of the first carriage 26, and so disposed relative thereto that a lower portion of the hammer projects below the lower edge 32 of carriage 26. A nut 34 or other threaded means is mounted on the upper portion of hammer L, which nut threadedly engages a lower threaded end portion 36 of a piston rod 38 that projects upwardly into an air cylinder 40.

The upper end of the piston rod 38 is connected to a pis on 42 that is slidably mo nted Within the confines of the air cylinder 40. The upper and lower interior end portions of cylinder 40 are connected by conduits 44 and 46 to a manually operable valve 48 having a control handle 50. Valve 48 is connected by a conduit 52 to a header 54 that extends to an air storage tank 56 in which air is maintained at a predetermined elevated pressure by a compressor 58. Valve 48 is of a type, which when handle 50 is moved from a first to a second position, alternately permits the flow of air under pressure from conduit 52 to the conduits 44 and 46 to move the piston 42 upwardly and downwardly in the air cylinder 40 and vertically reciprocate the hammer L. Excess air from cylinder 40 as piston 42 reciprocates therein is discharged from valve 48 through a conduit 60 to the ambient atmosphere.

Pressure plate P is vertically disposed above conveyor A. A horizontally disposed piston rod 62 is connected to the forward face of plate P and extends into an air cylinder 64. The forward end of piston rod 62 is connected to a piston 66 that is slidably mounted within the confines of the air cylinder 64.

A horizontal plate 68 extends transversely across, and is supported on the upper surfaces of the conveyor rails 10. The upper surface of plate 68 is situated below the upper surfaces of rollers D, in order that a plank B may be supported on rollers D and moved over plate 68. The forward and rear interior end portions of cylinders 64 are in communication with conduits 70 and 72 respectively, that extend to a valve 74. Valve 74 is provided with a manually operable handle 76, and is connected by a conduit 78 to the header 54 to permit supply of air under pressure to the cylinder 64 through either the conduit 70 or 72. When handle 76 is moved from a first to a second position, air under pressure is discharged through conduit 70 to move piston 66 forwardly in cylinder 64 whereby the pressure plate P is moved away from the backboard E.

When handle 76 is moved to a third position, air is discharged through the conduit 70 to the forward interior portion of cylinder 64 to move the piston 66 and pressure plate P afiixed thereto rearwardly toward backboard E, and when so moved, the pressure plate is brought into pressure contact with one of the planks B to grip the same between plate P and backboard E. As air discharges through one of the conduits 70 or 72, to one interior end portion of cylinder 64, due to the structure of valve 74, .air from the opposite interior end of cylinder 64 discharges through valve 74 to escape therefrom to the ambient atmosphere through a conduit 80.

The drill G (FIGURE 2) is vertically aligned with the centerline of the cylindrical hammer L. The lower end of drill G is removably supported in a chuck 82 that is driven by an electric motor 84. Motor 84 is rigidly supported in a fixed position on the second carriage 28 by a bracket or other supporting means 86 extending outwardly from the carriage.

Another air cylinder 88 is disposed at a fixed position relative to the two supporting members 18, as may best be seen in FIGURES 1 and 2, and a piston 90 is mounted in cylinder 88 that is connected to a piston rod 92 projecting upwardly therefrom. By means of a bracket or the like (not shown), piston '92 is rigidly connected to carriage 28. The upper and lower interior portions of the air cylinder 88 are is communication with conduits 93 and 94 respectively, which extend to a valve 96 that is manually operable by a handle 98. Air under pressure is supplied to valve 96 from the header 54 through a conduit 100. When handle 98 is moved from a first to a second position, air is discharged from valve 96 through conduit 93 to the upper portion of the air cylinder 88 to move the piston 90 and the second carriage 28 connected thereto downwardly.

When handle 98 is moved to a third position, air under pressure discharges from header 54 through the conduit 94 to the lower interior portion of cylinder 88 to raise the piston 90 and the second carriage 28 associated therewith. Val e 6 i o a ype that when air discha g from the air cylinder 88 through one of the conduits 92 or 93 to valve 96, the air escapes from valve 96 to the ambient atmosphere through a conduit 102.

The motor 84 is connected by electrical conductors 104 and 106 to a source of electric power 108. A switch 110 is interposed in conductor 106, and includes a blade 112 that is normally open, but may be moved to a closed position where it engages a contact 114 to close switch 110 and complete the electrical circuit to motor 84. If desired, the switch 110 can be automatically placed in the closed position by means (not shown) when air is supplied through conduit 94 to actuate piston 90 in air cylinder 88 to move the second carriage 28, motor 84, and drill G upwardly to drill a bore H or N in one of the planks B.

The saw Q which trims excess material from the first end portion F of one of the planks B (FIGURE 1) includes a rotary blade 115 that is driven by an electric motor 116 which is supported on the forward end of an elongate cylindrical body 118 which is slidably mounted in a bracket 120 preferably afiixed to the rearwardly disposed guide C (FIGURE 1). The rear end of body 118 is connected to a rearwardly extending rod 122, which by a downwardly depending member 124, is connected to a piston rod 126 which projects into the confines of an air cylinder 128.

The piston rod 114 is connected to a piston 130 that is slidably mounted in air cylinder 128. The forward and rear interior portions of air cylinder 128 are in communication with conduits 132 and 134 respectively, that extend to a valve 136 which is manually actuated by a handle 138. Air is supplied to valve 136 from header 54 by a conduit 138 leading therefrom. When handle 138 of valve 136 is moved from a first to a second position, air discharges through conduit 132 to move the piston 130, motor 116, and blade 115, rearwardly across conveyor A toward guide C to sever the excess wood S, as shown in FIGURE 512 from plank B. Valve 136 is of a type that when handle 1 38 is moved to a third position, air is discharged through conduit 134 to the rear interior end portion of the air cylinder 128, with the piston 130, piston rod 126, body 118, motor 116, and saw blade 115 being moved forwardly whereby the air under pressure from the interior of air cylinder 128 then discharges through the conduit 132 to valve 136 to discharge therefrom to the ambient atmosphere through a conduit 140.

Electrical power is supplied to motor 116 by two electrical conductors 142 and 144 that are connected to a source of electrical power 146 such as a domestic lighting circuit. Conductor 134 has a switch 148 interposed therein that includes a blade 150 which is normally open but is adapted to be moved to engage a contact 152. Should it be desired, the switch 148 (by means not shown) can be caused to assume the closed position when the piston 130 moves forwardly to move body 118, motor 116, and saw blade 115 transversely across conveyor A to sever the excess material S from plank B.

Inasmuch as saws W and X are of identical construction, only the saw W will be described in detail. Par-ts of the saw X corresponding to those of similar parts in saw W will be identified in the drawings by the same numerals, but to which a prime has been added. Each saw X and W includes electric motors 150 which serve to drive saw blades 152 and 152 respectively. Saws W and X (FIGURE 4) are in angular relationship so that when the motors 150 and 150' move away from one another they sever triangular segments Y from the ends of a plank B resting on table T. Motors 150 and 150 are connected by conductors 154 and 156 to a source of electric power 158. A normally open switch 160 is interposed in conductor 156 and includes a movable blade 162 which, in a closed position, engages a contact 164 to complete the circuit to motors 150 and 150'.

Motor 150 is mounted on one end of a guide rod 164 is slid-ably supported in a mounting 166 which can be affixed to the floor 20, or rigidly afiixed to the table T by conventional means (not shown). By means of a cross piece 168, guide rod 164 is connected to a piston rod 170 that extends into an air cylinder 172. The rod 170 within the air cylinder 172 is connected to a piston 174 that is slidably mounted in the cylinder. The interior end portions of the cylinder as well as the interior end portions of the cylinder 160' communicate with conduits 174 and 176 respectively, that lead to a manually operable valve 178 having a control :hand'le 180. Air is supplied to valve 178 under pressure from the header 54 through conduit 182.

When handle 168 is moved from a first to a second position, air under pressure is discharged from the valve 178 through the conduits to the cylinders 172 and 172 to cause the guide rods 164 and 164', motors 150 and 150', and saw blades 152 and 152' to move rearwardly across table T to sever corners Y from the one of the planks B resting on the table. After the segments Y are so severed, the valve handle 180 is moved to a third position where air is discharged through the conduit 176 to the cylinders and 172' to cause the motors 150 and 150 to the cylinders 170 and 172' to cause the motors 150 and 150', and saw blades 152 and 152' to move forwardly away from conveyor A.

Should it be desired, the normally open electrical switch 160 can be placed in the closed position by means (not shown) when the valve 178 has the control lever thereof placed in the second position to cause the guide rods 164 and 164', motors 150 and 150', and the saw blades 152 and 152' to move rearwardly toward the conveyor A to sever the segments Y from the plank B resting on table T. Likewise, should it be desired, the same means can be employed to place the switch 160 in the open position when movement of the saws W and X is reversed to move them away from conveyor A.

As previously mentioned, the plank B is aligned on table T by placing one longitudinal edge of the plank in contact with the elongate stop U that is affixed to the table T by conventional means. The stop V disposed at the left-hand end of table T engages a rear left-hand end edge of the plank B resting on the table. The stop V has a for-disposed angular edge 184 that precludes the saw blade 152 for coming into contact therewith as the blade moves across the upper surface of table T.

Backboard E (FIGURE 1) has a centrally disposed recess 186 extending down from the upper edge thereof. Recess 186 is wider than hammer L and is in vertical alignment therewith. Recess 186 permits the lower portion 30 of hammer L to contact the upper edge surface 188 of one of the planks B to temporarily deform the same and drive one of the reinforcing bars I completely into the confines of either the first bore H or second bore N.

Although the wood is temporarily deformed downwardly as shown in FIGURE 7, when impacted by hammer L, due to the resiliency of the wood, it will normally return to substantially the same position it occupied before the reinforcing bar I was driven therein. The re inforcing bars I are conveniently stored until needed in the rack K that is of conventional design and preferably aflixed in a position adjacent the hammer L. Rack K preferably extends rearwardly from the rearmost one of the conveyor members 10.

Each of the reinforcing rods J has ribs 190 formed on the exterior surface thereof. Each rod J is shorter in length than the width of one of the planks B, and a lower end portion thereof has a taper 192 formed thereon to assist in starting the rod downwardly into one of the bore holes H or N when initially impacted by the hammer L. Also, each of the reinforcing rods I is of substantially larger transverse cross section than that of one of the bores H or N so that when the rod is driven into the plank to the position shown in FIGURE 7 it will be in compressive contact with that portion of the plank adjacent bore H or N.

It will be apparent that when the reinforcing rods J are so disposed in a plank B, that the portion of the plank adjacent thereto cannot move transversely to appreciably expand, and as a result, any splitting that is initiated in the end portions such as the splits 194 shown in FIGURE 7, will not progress beyond one of the reinforcing members I.

The purpose of the beveled ends Z on planks B is to distribute shock over a greater area when the planks are thrown or dropped from an elevated position as the scaffolding (not shown) is dismantled. Frequently the planks land on the corners thereof, and the force of impact is absorbed by a greater surface provided by the beveled ends Z rather than point contacts which would be affected if the bevels had not been formed on the planks. When a plank B is thrown from an elevated position and strikes on a corner, invariably the shock sustained causes the end portions of the plank to splinter or at least cracks 194 are formed therein as shown in FIGURE 7. 'From experience it has been found that the bevels Z tend to minimize longitudinal splitting of the planks B in the end portions thereof when the planks are dropped from an elevated position to the ground surface.

The method of forming transversely reinforced wood planks of predetermined length for scaffolding purposes has previously been described in detailed and need not be repeated. This is likewise true of the structure of the transversely reinforced plank formed by using the apparatus and method described hereinabove, and no further description thereof is believed required.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is shown in the drawing and described in the specification, but only as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device for use in transforming stock wood planks of excess length into scaffolding platform planks of predetermined length having tapered corners, which transformed planks are reinforced at their ends by rods that extend transversely therethrough, comprising:

(a) a substantially horizontal conveyor having at least one opening formed therein;

(b) a vertically reciprocable hammer disposed above said conveyor and aligned with said opening;

(c) a vertically movable drill of lesser transverse cross section than that of one of said rods located below said conveyor and aligned with said opening;

(d) first power means for reciprocating said hammer;

(e) second power means for rotating said drill;

(f) third power means for moving said drill to form first and second bores in first and second end portions of one of said stock planks when said plank is resting on one of the longitudinal edges thereof on said conveyor;

(g) a back board;

(h) means for supporting said back board in an upwardly extending rigid position rearwardly from said opening in said conveyor;

(i) a pressure plate disposed parallel to the forward face of said back board;

(j) power means for moving said pressure plate toward and away from said back board to permit said first and second end portions of said stock plank on said conveyor to be sequentially gripped while said first and second bores are drilled therein and said first and second rods driven into said first and second bores, with said hammer when not reciprocating being disposed above said back board and pressure plate, and with at least the portions of said back board and pressure plate directly under said hammer being shorter in height than the width of one of said stock planks to permit said hammer to impact not only against one of said rods as it is driven into said plank but the upper edge surface of said plank as well during the final stage of the driving operation;

(k) means for controlling the reciprocation of said hammer to permit said hammer to drive said first and second rods into said first and second bores to positions where the ends of said rods are disposed substantially equidistant inwardly from said longitudinal edges of said stock plank;

(l) a first movable saw positioned above said conveyor for moving across said conveyor in a direction normal relative thereto;

(m) fourth power means for driving said first saw;

(n) fifth power means for moving said first saw across said conveyor when said stock plank is moved into an appropriate position thereon to cut excess material from said first end portion and form said stock plank into one of predetermined length;

(0) a stationary table that is shorter in length than one of said planks when out to said predetermined length, which table is longitudinally disposed in a fixed position relative to said conveyor and sufficiently close thereto as to receive and support one of said planks of predetermined length on one of the longitudinal sides thereof when the same is slid transversely from said conveyor;

(p) stop means on said table for holding said plank of predetermined length at a fixed longitudinal position on said table, with said first and second end portions of said plank projecting over the ends of said table;

(q) second and third longitudinally spaced saws disposed adjacent said table;

(r) sixth power means for concurrently driving said second and third saws; and

(s) seventh power means for concurrently moving said second and third saws in paths disposed in substantially relationship to sever triangular segments from the end corners of said plank when said plank rests in turn on first and second longitudinal sides thereof on said table.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said first power means includes a piston rod having said hammer mounted on the lower end thereof; a piston connected to the upper end of said piston rod; a first air cylinder in which said piston is slidably mounted; a source of air under pressure; first conduit means for conducting said air from said source to the upper and lower portions of said air cylinder; and first manually operable valve means for alternately directing said air in said conduit means to the upper and lower portions of said cylinder to cause vertical reciprocation of said hammer, piston rod and piston.

3. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said first power means includes a piston rod having said hammer mounted on the lower end thereof; a piston connected to the upper end of said piston rod; a first air cylinder in which said piston is slidably mounted; a source of air under pressure; first conduit means for conducting said air from said source to the upper and lower portions of said air cylinder; first manually operable valve means for alternately directing said air in said conduit means to the upper and lower portions of said cylinder to cause vertical reciprocation of said hammer, piston rod and piston; a plurality of laterally spaced, vertically extending elongate rigid guides; a first carriage slidably mounted on said guides; and means for rigidly connecting said hammer to said first carriage with said hammer extending downwardly therebelow, and with said guides and carriage serving to prevent lateral movement and lateral deformation of said hammer and piston rod when said hammer impacts said reinforcing rods as the same are driven into said plank.

4. A device as defined in claim 3 wherein said second power means is an electric motor and said third power means includes: a second carriage slidably mounted on said guides and disposed below said conveyor; means for rigidly supporting said motor on said carriage; a second air cylinder that occupies a fixed position relative to said guide; a piston slidably mounted on said second cylinder; a piston rod that is connected to said piston and to said second carriage; second conduit means for conducting said air from said source to the upper and lower portions of said second cylinder; and second manually operable valve means for selectively discharging air from said second conduit means into either the upper or lower portions of said second cylinder to cause said motor and said second carriage to move either upwardly toward said conveyor to drill a bore in one of said planks or to cause said motor and second carriage to move downwardly away from said carriage to withdraw said drill from a bore.

References Qited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Elks et al. 1443 Kunicke 144-3 Allen 2091 Edlund 20-81 Anguera 144-3 Anguera 1302 Hayashiguchi 144-323 Markwell 144323 Ennis 144-3 Zern 143--6 15 LESTER M. SWINGLE, Primary Examiner.

WALTER A. SCHEEL, WILLIAM w. DYER,

Examiners. 

1. A DEVICE FOR USE IN TRANSFORMING STOCK WOOD PLANKS OF EXCESS LENGTH INTO SCAFFOLDING PLATFORM PLANKS OF PREDETERMINED LENGTH HAVING TAPERED CORNERS, WHICH TRANSFORMED PLANKS ARE REINFORCED AT THEIR ENDS BY RODS THAT EXTEND TRANSVERSELY THERETHROUGH, COMPRISING: (A) A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL CONVEYOR HAVING AT LEAST ONE OPENING FORMED THEREIN; (B) A VERTICALLY RECIPROCABLE HAMMER DISPOSED ABOVE SAID CONVEYOR AND ALIGNED WITH SAID OPENING; (C) A VERTICALLY MOVABLE DRILL OF LESSER TRANSVERSE BELOW SECTION THAN THAT OF ONE OF SAID RODS LOCATED BELOW SAID CONVEYOR AND ALIGNED WITH SAID OPENING; (D) FIRST POWER MEANS FOR RECIPROCATING SAID HAMMER; (E) SEOND POWER MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID DRILL; (F) THIRD POWER MEANS FOR MOVING SAID DRILL TO FORM FIRST AND SECOND BORES IN FIRST AND SECOND END PORTIONS OF ONE OF SAID STOCK PLANKS WHEN SAID PLANK IS RESTING ON ONE OF THE LONGITUDINAL EDGES THEREOF ON SAID CONVEYOR; (B) A BACK BOARD; (H) MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID BACK BOARD IN AN UPWARDLY EXTENDING RIGID POSITION REARWARDLY FROM SAID OPENING IN SAID CONVEYOR; (I) A PRESSURE PLATE DISPOSED PARALLEL TO THE FORWARD FACE OF SAID BACK BOARD; (J) POWER MEANS FOR MOVING SAID PRESSURE PLATE TOWARD AND AWAY FDROM SAID BACK BOARD TO PERMIT SAID FIRST AND SECOND END PORTIONS OF SAID STOCK PLANK ON SAID CONVEYOR TO BE SEQUENTIALLY GRIPPED WHILE SAID FIRST AND SECOND BORES ARE DRILLED THEREIN AND SAID FIRST AND SECOND RODS DRIVEN INTO SAID FIRST AND SECOND BORES, WITH SAID HAMMER WHEN NOT RECIPROCATING BEING DISPOSED ABOVE SAID BACK BOARD AND PRESSURE PLATE, AND WITH AT LEAST THE PORTIONS OF SAID BACK BOARD AND PRESSURE PLATE DIRECTLY UNDER SAID HAMMER BEING SHORTER IN HEIGHT THAN THE WIDTH OF ONE OF SAID STOCK PLANKS TO PERMIT SAID HAMMER TO IMPACT NOT ONLY AGAINST ONE OF SAID RODS AS IT IS DRIVEN INTO SAID PLANK BUT THE UPPER EDGE SURFACE OF SAID PLANK AS WELL DURING THE FINAL STAGE OF THE DRIVING OPERATION; (K) MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE RECIPROCATION OF SAID HAMMER TO PERMIT SAID HAMMER TO DRIVE SAID FIRST AND SECOND RODS INTO SAID FIRST AND SECOND BORES TO POSITIONS WHERE THE ENDS OF SAID RODS ARE DISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY EQUIDISTANT INWARDLY FROM SAID LONGITUDINAL EDGES OF SAID STOCK PLANK; (L) A FIRST MOFABLE SAW POSITIONED ABOVE SAID CONVEYOR FOR MOVING ACROSS SAID CONVEYOR IN A DIRECTIONAL NORMAL RELATIVE THERETO; (M) FOURTH POWER MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID FIRST SAW; (N) FIFTH POWER MEANS FOR MOVING SAID FIRST SAW ACROSS SAID CONVEYOR WHEN SAID STOCK PLANK IS MOVED INTO AN APPROPRIATE POSITION THEREON TO CUT EXCESS MATERIAL FROM SAID FIRST END PORTION AND FORM SAID STOCK PLANK INTO ONE OF PREDETERMINED LENGTH; (O) A STATIONARY TABLE THAT IS SHORTER IN LENGTH THAN ONE OF SAID PLANKS WHEN CUT TO SAID PREDETERMINED LENGTH, WHICH TABLE IS LONGITUDINALLY DISPOSED IN A FIXED POSITION RELATIVE TO SAID CONVEYOR AND SUFFICIENTLY CLOSE THERETO AS TO RECEIVE AND SUPPORT ONE OF SAID PLANKS OF PREDETERMINED LENGTH ON ONE OF THE LONGITUDINAL SIDES THEREOF WHEN THE SAME IS SLID TRANSVERSELY FROM SAID CONVEYOR; (P) STOP MEANS ON SAID TABLE FOR HOLDING SAID PLANK OF PREDETERMINED LENGTH AT A FIXED LONGITUDINAL POSITION ON SAID TABLE, WITH SAID FIRST AND SECOND END PORTIONS OF SAID PLANK PROJECTING OVER THE ENDS OF SAID TABLE; (Q) SECOND AND THIRD LONGITUDINALLY SPACED SAWS DISPOSED ADJACENT SAID TABLE; (F) SIXTH POWER MEANS FOR CONCURRENTLY DRIVING SAID SECOND AND THIRD SAWS; AND (S) SEVENTH POWER MEANS FOR CONCURRENTLY MOVING SAID SECOND AND THIRD SAWS IN PATHS DISPOSED IN SUBSTANTIALLY 90* RELATIONSHIP TO SEVER TRIANGULAR SEGMENTS FROM THE END CORNERS OF SAID PLANK WHEN SAID PLANK RESTS IN TURN ON FIRST AND SECOND LONGITUDINAL SIDES THEREOF ON SAID TABLE. 